Charges: Woman fought off sexual assailant in Lincoln Park

Keith Thomas is charged in the attempted sexual assault, which allegedly took place in an alley behind the 1900 block of North Halsted Street. | Chicago Police Department; Google

A Streeterville woman fought off a would-be sexual assailant in Lincoln Park on Friday afternoon, police said. Now, a man has been charged in the case.

The 30-year-old physician was walking in the 700 block of West Armitage around 12:25 p.m. when a man ran up from behind, grabbed her, and tried to sexually assault her in an alley, according to police. The offender fled as a passer-by saw what was happening and the woman fought back, police said.

Police were able to collect images of the attacker from nearby surveillance cameras and 34-year-old Keith Thomas of Oak Park was taken into custody about an hour later near Armitage and Lincoln.

He is accused of grabbing the woman by the neck, slamming her into a wall, and forcibly removing her lower clothing in an attempted sexual assault, police said. The victim was treated at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Thomas has been charged with felony attempted criminal sexual assault by force; felony kidnapping by force or threat of force; and felony aggravated battery-strangulation. Judge Stephanie Miller ordered him held without bail.

The attack took place in an alley that is directly across the street from Lincoln Park High School.

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CWBChicago was created in 2013 by five residents of Wrigleyville and Boystown who had grown disheartened with inaccurate information that was being provided at local Community Policing (CAPS) meetings. Our coverage area has expanded since then to cover Lincoln Park, River North, The Loop, Uptown, and other North Side Areas. But our mission remains unchanged: To provide original public safety reporting with better context and greater detail than mainstream media outlets. Our editorial email address is news@cwbchicago.com